Border Patrol Apprehensions Down 28 Percent

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Border Patrol today
released official figures for apprehensions and drug seizures during the first
10 months of Fiscal Year 2002 and gave a preliminary look at the figures for
August 2002.

During the first 10 months of Fiscal Year 2002, official figures
indicate that agents apprehended 799,281 undocumented immigrants attempting to
enter the United States illegally, which is down 28 percent from the Fiscal Year
2001 apprehensions of 1,116,698 for the same 10 months. Preliminary totals for
the month of August 2002 indicate 85,257 apprehensions compared to last years
monthly total of 88,057 apprehensions, a reduction of roughly 3 percent.
Included in these apprehensions were undocumented immigrants who were citizens
of 160 different countries.

During the first 10 months of Fiscal Year 2002, the Border
Patrol seized 1,160,804 pounds of Marijuana valued at $ 954,853,755.00, and
11,138 pounds of cocaine valued at $352,677,374. Seizures of other drugs during
the same period were valued at $35,370,666 bringing the total dollar value of
drugs seized during the first 10 months of Fiscal Year 2002 to
$1,342,901,795.00.